Chinese Brake Herb / Huguenot Fern Herb
Aliases：Jingkoubiancao、Shuangfengwei、Fengweijue、Shanjiwei、Shanfengwei、Xiaofengwei
Fengweicao (Herba Pteridis Multifidae), a Chinese medicinal, is the whole herb or root of Pteris multifida Poir., a plant of the Pteridaceae family.
Efficacy & Actions
Clear heat and drain dampness, reduce swelling and resolve toxin, cool the blood and stop bleeding.
Indications
Dysentery, diarrhea, strangury with turbid urine, leukorrhea, jaundice, boils and sores, throat impediment with mumps/tonsillitis, scrofula (tuberculous lymphadenitis), mumps, mastitis, high fever with convulsions, snake and insect bites, hematemesis, epistaxis, hematuria, hematochezia, and traumatic bleeding.
Modern Pharmacology
Antimicrobial activity: Exhibits strong inhibitory effects against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Aspergillus niger; moderate inhibition against Escherichia coli and Penicillium. A 10%–20% decoction inhibits Shigella flexneri and Shigella sonnei. Anti‑inflammatory and antioxidant effects: Network pharmacology studies indicate that active components such as luteolin, quercetin, and apigenin can regulate key targets including AKT1, TNF, and IL6, thereby modulating p53, PI3K‑Akt, and IL‑17 signaling pathways, contributing to the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. Antitumor activity: Diterpenoid constituents show moderate cytotoxicity against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells. Animal experiments demonstrate inhibitory activity against sarcoma‑180, sarcoma‑37, Walker‑256 carcinosarcoma, and Yoshida sarcoma in mice. Antimutagenic activity: Hot water extract exhibits antimutagenic effects against picric acid‑induced mutation in the Salmonella/microsome assay.
Ingredients
Sesquiterpenes: Pterosin B, C, F, O, S; pterosin C-3-O-glucoside, etc. Diterpenes: 2β,15α-Dihydroxy-ent-16-kaurene, 2β,16α-dihydroxy-ent-kaurane, etc. Flavonoids: Apigenin-7-O-glucoside, luteolin-7-O-glucoside, etc. Others: Creticaside A, B; sitosterol, etc.
Usage & Dosage
1. Internal use: 9–15 g in decoction (30–60 g for fresh herb); or crushed for fresh juice. 2. External use: Appropriate amount, crushed for topical application; or decocted for washing the affected area; or ground into a fine powder for dusting. 3. Precautions: Contraindicated in cases of deficiency‑cold diarrhea, dysentery, and during pregnancy. This product is cold in nature; long‑term or excessive use should be avoided.
Contraindications
1. Contraindicated populations: Contraindicated in cases of deficiency‑cold pattern and deficiency‑cold diarrhea. 2. Contraindicated pattern: Contraindicated during pregnancy. 3. Precautions for use: This product is bitter and cold in nature, which may easily damage the Spleen and Stomach. Long‑term or large‑dose use should be avoided.
Selected Formulas
1. For dysentery (Source: Jiangxi Herbal Medicine Manual) Ingredients: Fengweicao 30 g, Dijincao (Euphorbiae Humifusae Herba) 15 g. Preparation: Decoct in water, add sugar and take orally. 2. For five types of strangury (lin) with turbid discharge, and red and white leukorrhea (Source: Hunan Materia Medica) Ingredients: Fengweicao, Haijinsha (Lygodii Spora), Yiyigen (Coicis Radix), Cheqiancao (Plantaginis Herba) – 12 g each. Preparation: Decoct in water and take orally. 3. For internal hemorrhoidal bleeding and hematuria (Source: Jiangxi Herbal Medicine Manual) Ingredients: Fresh Fengweicao 30 g, fresh Hanliancao (Ecliptae Herba) 30 g, lean pork 120 g. Preparation: Cook together and take orally. 4. For urinary tract stones (urolithiasis) (Source: Anhui Chinese Herbal Medicine) Ingredients: Fengweicao 15 g, Baihuasheshecao (Hedyotidis Diffusae Herba) 15 g, Cheqiancao 30 g, Jinqiancao (Lysimachiae Herba) 30 g. Preparation: Decoct in water and take orally. 5. For carbuncle on the back (Wu Du Fa Bei) (Source: Lü Chan Yan Ben Cao) Ingredients: Small Venus Fengweicao (whole herb and root) – wash, dry over low heat, take 120 g; add raw licorice (Gancao) 3 g. Preparation: Grind together into a powder. Divide into four doses. For each dose, take about 300 ml of wine, decoct for 2–3 boils, then add 300 ml of cold wine. Seal the bottle and drink from time to time. Precaution: Avoid raw, cold, greasy foods and toxic substances. 6. For snake, insect or centipede bites (Source: Jiangxi Herbal Medicine Manual) Ingredients: Fengweicao leaves 60 g, fresh Cujiangcao (Oxalis corniculata) leaves 30 g. Preparation: Crush together and apply topically to the wound. 7. For cough with blood‑stained sputum (Source: Tianmu Mountain Medicinal Flora) Ingredients: Fengweicao rhizome (remove fibrous roots) 30 g, Kushen (Sophorae Flavescentis Radix) 12–15 g, Jiegeng (Platycodonis Radix) 12–15 g. Preparation: Decoct in water, then add an appropriate amount of brown sugar and yellow wine. Take once in the morning and once in the evening before meals.
Daily Consumption
1. Fengweicao Stewed with Pork Large Intestine Ingredients: Fengweicao 30 g, pork large intestine (appropriate amount). Preparation: Stew together until fully cooked and tender. Remove the herb residue. Eat the intestine and drink the soup. Action: Clears damp‑heat, cools the blood and stops bleeding. 2. Fengweicao and Kelp Soup Ingredients: Fengweicao 24 g, kelp (Laminaria) 24 g. Preparation: Soak the kelp until soft, cut into sections, then cook together with Fengweicao. Season to taste. Action: Clears heat, drains dampness, softens hardness and dissipates nodules. Suitable for hypertension, vertigo, and headache. 3. Fengweicao and Coix Seed Tea (for uterine fibroids) Ingredients: Fengweicao 10 g, coix seed (Yiyiren) 15 g, Yinchen (Artemisiae Scopariae Herba) 10 g, adzuki bean (Chixiaodou) 15 g, Prunella spike (Xiakucao) 10 g, a small amount of brown sugar. Preparation: Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer for about 45 minutes. Strain, add brown sugar to taste. Drink as tea, 1–2 times per week. Action: Clears damp‑heat, removes stasis and dissipates nodules. 4. Fengweicao Rice Water Decoction (for urinary tract infection) Ingredients: Fengweicao 30 g, second‑washing rice water 500 ml. Preparation: Decoct together until about 200 ml remains, then add a little salt. Action: Clears heat, cools the blood, promotes diuresis and relieves strangury. Suitable for urinary urgency, frequent urination, painful urination with hematuria. 5. Fengweicao Lean Pork Soup Ingredients: Fengweicao 15–30 g, lean pork (appropriate amount). Preparation: Cook together to make a soup. Drink the soup and eat the pork. Action: Clears heat, drains dampness, cools the blood and resolves toxin.
Medicinal Parts
whole herb or root
Selection & Storage
Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place, protected from moisture and direct sunlight.